Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (Top-Up)

Program Overview

Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (Top-Up)

This top-up degree programme in Nursing builds on the knowledge and know-how acquired by students through previous studies and work experience. This integrative programme develops the student’s knowledge and understanding of multidisciplinary work in health and social care environments within a European context.

The course is designed and developed by Advenio eAcademy and the University of Ioannina. It is based on the established Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing offered by the Department of Nursing at the University of Ioannina in Greece.

The course is designed to provide an overall understanding and insight into individualised care and person-centred care for individual patients, informal careers and family members by developing their critical decision-making and thinking skills based on the best available evidence, reflective knowledge based on specific individuals and cases, and qualitative and quantitative research finding. Furthermore, the course is based on active participation and continuous interaction of students to expand their skill sets and knowledge, ensuring they become effective, up-to-date and context-relevant practitioners able to contribute directly within EU-regulated healthcare institutions.

The course content includes training in quantitative and qualitative research methods and reflective tools and techniques for systematic analysis of practice and literature, thereby enabling the analysis, justification, and development of students’ knowledge base and practice skills. Participants will also be introduced to decision-making and problem-solving tools, , and the evaluation of processes and services, including reflective, evidence-based, and value-based models of care. Finally, students will engage with concepts and frameworks concerning ethical decision-making and professional practice. Thus, students will be given the opportunity to learn from practice and put into practice what they have learned, hence honing their employability skills. The course is delivered in English and will also enable the development of competency in English at an Intermediate Level.

An online course module titled “Maltese for the healthcare sector” will be available to students who plan to apply for work in the Maltese healthcare sector. This online course will familiarise students with the basic structure and grammar of the Maltese Language as well as providing a useful vocabulary of terms and expressions they are likely to come across in their role as nurses. This programme is not a part of the Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (Top-up) programme. This will be a general module provided by Advenio eAcademy for any students, who plan to work in the Maltese Healthcare Sector.

Entry Requirements

• Minimum Qualification – Qualification equivalent to Undergraduate Higher Diploma (120 ECTS) in Nursing accredited at EQF/MQF Level 5. Applicants who already have an EQF/MQF Level 6 qualification in health care are also eligible to join the programme.
• IELTS level 5 or equivalent
• A minimum of 1 year work experience in the health care sector. This should ensure appropriate experience/knowledge and exposure to complete this programme.

Target Group

This programme is targeted at nurses who are registered with the Council for Nurses and Midwives and/or other registering bodies.

Overall Course Objectives

By the end of the course, students should acquire the following knowledge and be able to:

• Define and explain key EU policies and guidelines relevant to nursing practice, identifying their impact on patient care and professional responsibilities.
• Describe and analyze the roles and responsibilities of different healthcare and social care professionals, identifying strategies for effective collaboration and communication.
• Define research and clinical data to justify nursing interventions and decision-making, demonstrating the ability to distinguish dependable from unreliable sources.
• Identify and apply quality management principles to improve patient outcomes, safety, and efficiency within healthcare settings.
• Identify and analyze personal strengths and weaknesses, utilizing reflective tools to develop critical self-awareness and foster lifelong learning.
• Recall nursing knowledge, findings, and recommendations to diverse audiences, both orally and in writing, promoting collaborative care and patient education.

Learning Hours

• Contact Hours: 296
• Self-study hours: 1072
• Assessment hours: 132
• Total Learning Hours: 1,500

Teaching & Learning

Delivery Format

• Online: Access course materials through the eLearning platform.
• Onsite: Easy School of Languages, 21 St. Ursula Street, Il-Belt Valletta, VLT 1230
• Language of Instruction: English

Assessment Methods

Each Module will be assessed as follows:

• Quality of contributions provided in Forums (20%)
• Quality of contributions provided in tutorials (20%)
• Assignments which will be research based (60%)

Students need to get an aggregate of 50% marks from the above to pass a module.

Fee Structure

• Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing – Top-Up (EQF/MQF Level 6, 60 ECTS):
  • Online Learning: €6,450 (64 weeks, part-time)
  • Blended Learning in Malta: €8,850 (40 weeks, full-time)
• Individual Course Modules (EQF/MQF Level 6, 5 ECTS – 5 weeks duration):
  • Online Learning: €695 per module
  • Blended Learning in Malta: €960 per module

Scholarship Schemes

Intakes

• Intake #1: 07/04/2025
• Intake #2: 12/05/2025
• Intake #3: 16/06/2025
• Intake #4: 21/07/2025
• Intake #5: 01/09/2025
• Intake #6: 06/10/2025
• Intake #7: 10/11/2025
• Intake #8: 08/12/2025

Programme Details

• PROGRAMME: Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing – Top-Up
• EQF/MQF: Level 6
• CREDITS: 60 ECTS
• DELIVERY & DURATION:
  • Online Learning: 64 weeks (part-time)
  • Blended Learning: 40 weeks (full-time)
• LANGUAGE: English

Course Modules

• Ethical Issues and Decision Making
• Evidence-Based Nursing
• Patient Centred Care
• Psychology of Patients, Families and Health Care Professionals
• Qualitative Research Methods in Nursing
• Quantitative Research Methods in Nursing
• Reflective Practice and Nursing Knowledge
• Health Informatics (Elective)
• Radiation Safety for Nursing (Elective)